The last meeting which was a potluck, the food was good and the speaker Jeff Lampe

was interesting. (See Meeting Highlights below for more details.) Lot's of projects

going on and some just starting. The last bit of cold weather sure played hard with

many plants and flowers. Most of my tulips survived but, my bleeding hearts did not.

We'll see how the lilacs and others fare later. Hope to see all of you at the next

meeting. Remember: Wear your name tags!

- Mike Wilkins

A great potluck menu was enjoyed by 35 people at our evening meeting. New

carpeting in the Extension office auditorium made our meal seem like an up-scale

restaurant evening!

Roger Larson reported that the revised MG web site is up and running. It is more

user friendly, thanks to guidance by Lee Hammond and Richard Coon. Check it out

at www.extension.uiuc.edu/Peoria. Billboard postcards are now available. They are

easy to individulize per event. Just ask Julann for help. The Limestone raised beds

will be planted this Saturday. This project is in partership with the Bartonville Girl

Scouts.

Volunteer projects:

- Garden cleanup and planning are underway at all of our garden project sites. As

well, the Help Line received 45 calls in 13 days. The Speaker's Bureau is filling three

new requests. A speaker from "The Picket Fence" in Chillicothe will fill one of the

slots.

Community Volunteer Projects:

- Greenway - Demolition of another house provides a third new garden. A $100 fund

is available for plant material for each garden. Donated perennials are also welcome.

- Luthy - The plant sale took place April 27-29. Other upcoming events are the

Orchid Show, Gigs in the Garden, and a bus trip to Chicago Botanical Gardens for

volunteers.

Short Term Projects:

- A tree will be planted for Habitat for Humanity on Tuesday at a house on Monroe

Street.

- Children's Home Walking Trail - Planting will took place April

28. Contact Norm Meyn if you can help.

Recurring Events/Activities:

- Plant Sale May 5- Drop off points for donated plants will be

Katie Grady's and Fran Stagg's houses. Plants can also be

brought in early day of sale. Melanie Martin is in charge day of

sale. Bonnie Williams has pots and labels if anyone needs them.

Norma Ellington has extra pots for this event or other purposes.

- Bartonville Farmer's Market - MG will be manning a booth

with plant questions and answers or for demo. Contact Margie

Karl if you have a good demo idea.

Old Business:

- Women's Life Style Show (October). Nancy Patoki, Extension

adviser on plant pathology, will represent MG with a presentation

at this event.

- Bylaws Review Committee - Nancy Coon and Dixie Krisher

volunteered to help Mike and Karen Ratledge review the bylaws.

This will begin shortly.

New Business:

- Three short-term projects were introduced and approved.

1) Tree Identification at Elmwood's Central Park. Nancy and

Richard Coon talked to a group of 7th and 8th graders. They will

be working with an Elmwood teacher who has a grant to do this

project.

2) The Elmwood school has three vacant flower plots and wants

to plant prairie plants. Nancy and Richard Coon will assist.

3) The Chillicothe PTA has funds to develop flowerbeds. Jane

Harrison will assist.

Next Meeting will be at Luthy Botanical Gardens at 12:30 p.m.

Meet in the gift shop for further instructions.

The April meeting was followed by a talk by Jeff Lampe,

outdoor columnist for the Peoria Journal Star.

- Bonnie Hunt, Recording Secretary